THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE
SIEIK ISSA EMBARKS ON THE "ALTAIR" FOR ARABIA
He is honored and respected among the Danakil as a leader and saint. Not only was he a
gracious host, but he offered to accompany the Altair's party from the Somali coast over to
Arabia, in order to afford them protection from pirates (see text below).
hatred of the Danakil-slave merchants
from time immemorial-for the interfer
ing whites.
"I am an old man. I have traveled
much," Sheik Issa concluded.
"Perhaps
among white men there is honor, but I
have yet to see the European who will not
betray his given word when he has pledged
it to a Dankali."
The master of the Altair lifted a hand in
protest.
"Not you, Abd el Hai."
The sheik
touched my companion's shoulder lightly
with his fingers.
"You are a Believer and
your skin is almost as black as mine; and
surely the blood of some dark woman runs
in your veins, for Allah's curse does not
lie upon you; you dare show your head un
covered to the sun!"
With an abrupt change of tone, Sheik
Issa inquired where we were going.
"Across the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb to
Khor Omeira, in Arabia," the master of
the Altair replied, with a gesture toward
the open sea.
The sheik shook his head thoughtfully.
"It is not wise, my friend. Since the
white man's war, the coast over there
throngs with arami (pirates). Only last
week they beached a sambuk of our Dan
akil and massacred the crew. They will
not respect even the name of Abd el Hai.
And with Madame on board -"
He
paused impressively.
"There is only one
man who can assure your safety."
"And he?"
"Myself. I will go with you."
Late that afternoon Sheik Issa came
aboard, bringing with him a sheep, that
the crew might feast in his honor. The
sun dipped down behind the Mabla; the
evening star hung above the horizon; sil
houetted against the sky, a tall draped fig
ure lifted its arms to heaven. The sheik
was at his prayers. When night came we
set sail. Sure in the protection of our
Moslem saint, we headed east, in a calm
sea, toward Arabia, its pirates, and the
pearl-bearing waters of Khor Omeira, a
hundred miles distant across the strait.
386